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Mar 24, 2017
There’s no questioning how popular the cute girls doing cute things genre is and I can see why, for some people (me included) it is a very effective way to relax. Due to this popularity, many series of this genre exist out there, most them having a twist or two to differentiate themselves from each other but still having the same core. However, Urara Meirochou not only adds twists to differentiate itself from others, but it also takes the existing mold and adds a lot more to it.
Urara Meirochou takes place in a traditional Japanese town of fortune tellers (uraras) called Meirochou, where the four
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main characters have recently started their studies to become top uraras. During this series we see all the adventures and trials these girls go through as we follow the journey these four girls go through to achieve their goals.
Despite having a plot, this series is still a cute girls doing cute things anime at its core. Through-out the series the girls go on a little adventure and have cute and funny interactions with their surroundings, each other and other characters, things you would typically expect from a work of this genre. To make itself not stale, this series uses its setting as a major part of its events to make them more unique (such as fortune telling and working at a shop of magical items). Another aspect of this series is that it banks on its cuteness, which makes this not so much super funny (although there are still a lot of funny moments) but it allows it to be endearing and fun to watch. While it is fun and endearing to watch, the setting alone isn’t enough to make the events unique enough to separate itself from other shows of this genre, but luckily this isn’t the only angle this anime uses. Despite this not being the most plot tight series in the world, the plot itself is not an afterthought as it plays a major role in why this series is good. Although the plot is simple, what it does is it gives these characters’ goals that they want to achieve. This combined with the characters motivations creates a lot of heartwarming and emotional moments which are probably the best parts of this show and what truly separates it from other shows of this genre.
The characters themselves are perhaps the best aspect of this show. For a series in its genre, the characters of the main cast have a surprising amount of depth. On the surface, the main cast is nothing special, each one has a personality that one could expect from any series of this genre with one or two unique facets. However, it doesn’t just stop there with the characters, instead every member of the main cast is expanded upon. Each one of the four girls have their own motivations and is given a back story which is explored somewhat extensively, which not only explains the girls’ unique facets in their personality (such as Koume’s interest in the European life style) but it also what helps make these heartwarming and emotional moments so impactful. The supporting cast is nothing too special (as they don’t really get a lot of screen time) but they do play their part in making this series as fun as it is, which is honestly all I can ask of a supporting cast of a series of this nature.
Usually, a series in the cute girls doing cute things slice of life genre will have to rely a lot on character interactions as that is what most of this genre is about and this show delivers on that pretty well. Not only do the characters have great chemistry, they play off each other well, and as the series goes on we get to see the bond between these girls only get stronger. However, one weakness this show does have is it over uses Chiya a bit, most of the heartwarming moments that include character interactions include Chiya and it would have been nice to see more of the other characters in these moments to see the strengthening of the bonds between the others of the main cast. There also is a lot of yuri subtext, (which is very common in this genre these days) and this series executes on this aspect well as it does increase chemistry between characters. However, while I do think most fans of this genre enjoy that or are indifferent to it, this could also be a turn-off to some people.
The production values of this show, while it’s nothing spectacular, are better than average. The art style is very simple but it fits the cute style of the show and the color palette while being very light and having a very wide range of colors, is not over-saturated, instead the colors are very easy on the eyes which does enhance the viewing experience. The opening and ending are what one would typically expect with the opening being sung by the main cast and both songs fitting the series well, but not being anything too special. The background music, while not being anything too complex, was more than just the simple music you typically hear, some of the compositions are actually quite lengthy with multiple instruments and they all enhance the mood of each scene. The voice actors were pretty impressive in their roles, not only did their voice fit their characters but they also nailed how the characters would sound like in emotional moments, one example being was when Kon was crying, not only did her voice actor nail how a crying person would sound when they talked, she also nailed how they would sound when they are breathing.
In a sea of cute girls doing cute things anime, Urara Meirochou is definitely one of the better ones. In addition to being cute and endearing, the characters have depth and it is littered with heartwarming moments. While it is nothing ground breaking it executes well on all the main aspects of a series in its genre has and adds more to it.
Final Rating: A very strong 7/10
Reviewer’s Rating: 7
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Sep 23, 2016
Simple yet beautiful, that is how I would describe Amanchu. There are a ton of slice of life shows out there and many of them fail to differentiate themselves from the rest. However despite this huge obstacle, Amanchu does successfully manage to differentiate itself from most by being something simple yet beautiful.
Amanchu takes place in a rural town that is close to the ocean where the main character, Teko (Ooki Futaba) has recently moved to. Very soon after, she meets a strange girl, Pikari (Kohinata Hikari), who gets her to join the scuba diving club at school. From there, more characters are introduced (who are
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associated the scuba diving club) and we follow the events that happen in these character's lives as Teko learns more and more about scuba diving.
Like almost all slice of lifes, Amanchu doesn't really have a plot, instead each episode shows the events that happen in these character's lives. The events that happen in this series are rather simple such as finding a home for a stray cat or playing a game of red light-green light. However, one of the reasons why Amanchu is so great is because it manages to transform those simple events into something beautiful. The series does this through a combination of different factors, one big factor are the conversations between characters and/or thoughts of characters. Through these dialogues and monologues we get to see why each of these simple events hold a much deeper meaning than what it appears to be on the surface. Another factor is the calm and relaxing atmosphere the series manages to create through the characters and their relationships, production values and the light hearted comedic moments that are sprinkled in. Those comedic moments rarely feel out of place and many are funny (although that differs for everyone).
Another great aspect about Amanchu are it's characters as hearing their thoughts and conversations during each event allows us to see how each character views things which teaches us a lot about them. The character that sticks out the most is Teko, who is gentle, shy and withdrawn, but that's just the surface, her character actually has a lot of depth to it. As the series goes on we get to see many different aspects of her personality. Also as the show goes on we get to see Teko come out of her shell more and more. The catalyst for the majority of Teko's development is Pikari. Pikari's personality is opposite that of Teko's, she's very energetic, a bit out there and always wants to try new things and have fun. Although we don't learn as much about her as Teko, we still do learn a fair amount about her character and she is also the main reason to why Teko tries new things. They compliment each other very well and one of the best parts of Amanchu is the friendship between Teko and Pikari. This friendship is what drives a lot of the events and enables Teko to develop as a character. The other characters (the Ninomiya siblings, Katori-sensei) also play a role. We may not get to learn much about their personality beyond what's on the surface but they do get their time in the spotlight so we do get to learn a bit about each of them and how they see things.
The production values are also top notch. The visuals themselves can be pretty beautiful at times, some of the scenes in the events that happen just look amazing. The characters are also very detailed. The backgrounds, while they don't look spectacular typically, aren't badly drawn either.
The sound is also pretty good itself. For a series that leans on it's atmosphere as much as this one, the sound is very important for setting the correct mood. A lot of the time the music that plays in the background is very light , not overly complicated and does a good job at complimenting the mood of the event taking place. However there are some times when the music in the background is really captivating and becomes a major reason to why some scenes are mesmerizing. The VAs also do a good job voicing the character they play. The OP and ED also don't seem out of place and fit this anime very nicely.
In terms of enjoyment, Amanchu isn't a series that everyone would enjoy. It's a slice of life which is not everyone's cup of tea and on top of that, it also moves very slowly. However if you don't mind those things then this show is something you will enjoy and can absolutely captivate you with it's moments of beauty and calm and relaxing atmosphere.
In a sea of slife of life shows, Amanchu manages to stick out more than most because of what it manages to do. It sets up a great atmosphere, has great characters and manages to turn most of it's simple events into something beautiful. It definitely is a series I will remember for a long time.
Reviewer’s Rating: 8
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Jun 23, 2016
There are a lot of slice of life shows which involve cute girls doing cute things and because of this, a lot of them end up being similar to one another in many ways. Despite many of those series throwing in a twist or two to differentiate themselves from one another, the similarities make most of them not feel like anything special. However, even if a series isn't anything special, it can still be entertaining and enjoyable and Anne Happy is one of those series.
Like most shows in the slice of life genre, there isn't a plot instead we are just watching events that happen
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in the character's everyday lives. Anne Happy focuses on a group of 5 girls who are each very unlucky in their own way and because of this they are placed into a special class at school. Through-out the series we get to witness the little adventures these girls go on (such as playing a life size version of a board game) and the misfortunes they encounter. The events that happen during each of these episodes are executed fairly well for the most part, they are very light-hearted and are filled with comedy, and even though some events may seem over the top but for this series it works.There are also a large number of comedic moments in each episode and they are funny more often than not (the transitions between scenes are especially funny). The series also makes some subtle references that only add to the comedy. However some of the jokes do get repetitive (especially the ones that include the girls' unlucky traits) which subtracts from the comedy. Even though most episodes have a lot of funny moments, the events as a whole, even though they are fun to watch, don't really feel like they are anything too special.
The characters are the weakest area of this show. Because the series seems to focus on the events themselves, the characters don't really get explored. Out of the main cast of 5 girls, the only character that seems to be explored significantly is Hibari (Hibarigaoka Ruri for those who didn't watch). The other characters, even though they are not one dimensional, they do lack depth and not much is seen from them other than a couple of traits in their personality. Also the jokes made about the unlucky traits of the characters do get repetitive. However their personalities do work well with each other, none of them seem out of place and none of the interactions with each other seem awkward.
The art isn't bad but it's not something that will blow you away either. Like any show that has cute girls doing cute things, the character designs are very cute and the color palette is very light which fits well for this show. The backgrounds are fairly simple, don't have too much detail in them and are static for the most part.
The sound is good but not great and compared to other series it's not really anything special. The opening and the ending are both very cute with the main VAs singing it but compared to other series that do this, it's pretty par for the course. However, the VAs do a very good job matching the personality of the character they are playing and portraying their emotions. The background music is very simple and it's not something you would regularly notice unless you go out of your way to but the music does add to each scene.
Like many slice of life shows, this isn't for everyone. If you typically don't like cute girls doing cute things then you are not going to like this but if you do then this isn't a bad series to watch. The little adventures these girls go on are interesting to watch and this series is one of the more funny slice of life shows out there. Overall, Anne Happy isn't going to blow anyone away but it is very fun and entertaining and if you are into this kind of series, it is worth the watch.
Reviewer’s Rating: 6
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Jan 16, 2013
Dog Days is one of those series (1st season and 2nd season) where you either love it because of all the fun it has and how light hearted it is, or you hate it because it seemingly goes nowhere (this applies more so to the 2nd season). But whether you love it or hate it, there is no denying that Dog Days is good at what it tries to do.
For the second season of Dog Days, Cinque is summoned back to the world of Flonyard along with his close friend Becky and cousin Nanami. This time, however, each side gets their own hero
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to even things out. Throughout each episode the characters experience some humorous ordeals or partake in a “war”.
There are numerous differences between the first and second season. The biggest difference is that the second season does not contain an underlying plot like the first season. However not every series needs a plot to succeed and the second season of Dog Days is an example of that. Each episode has a ton of funny moments and since something different happens every episode, most of the episodes are very entertaining. Another big difference is the addition of another country Pastillage. This addition did a number of things: added more characters, added variety to the “wars” and also helped with the comedy. Despite all these changes, the second season Dog Days is still very similar to the first season. The series doesn’t try for too much, it’s funny, it’s cute and most importantly it’s entertaining.
The art and animations are pretty much the same as the previous season. There are some very appealing visuals especially during battles and the character designs look very cute.
The opening and ending are also very similar to the opening and ending of the first season. The opening is very energetic, which describes the series very well. The ending is a very sweet song which I think is perfect for a conclusion to an episode. The voice actors also do a very good job matching the characters they are playing.
For this season, we don’t just have one hero, we have three. Our original hero Cinque/Sink, is probably the weakest of the three heroes in terms of power level, but he still looking like Nathan Drake (just shows you how powerful these heroes are). Despite being the weakest hero, he is a great character. He never shies away from a challenge, he’s nice and he has great chemistry with all the other characters.
The other two heroes don’t stand out as much as Cinque but they do play a role during each episode. Nanami, who is Cinque’s older cousin, has a personality which is very similar to Cinque. She’s very energetic, doesn’t back down from a challenge but she’s also slightly stronger than Cinque. Becky, Cinque’s best friend and perhaps the most over powered hero of all, is very different from the other heroes. She isn’t very athletic but she does have a lot of experience with video games making her a hero with a different style from Cinque and Nanami (her hero form is like a witch). All 3 of them are very likable and are pretty good characters
For this season, the princess Millhiore doesn’t play as big as a role as she did the first time but she is still the same as the first season, soft-spoken, kind, can hold her own in battle and best of all very cute so I have no complaints. During this season Éclair really sticks out because she undergoes development which a pleasant surprise and also because out of all the characters in the series, she has the best chemistry with Cinque. There are also a bunch of new characters such as Couvert, Valerio and Adelaide just to name a few. Each character adds to the comedy each bringing a different personality to the table. I also like the fact that there is no jealousy war that goes on between the characters that love Cinque instead they are all nice to each other which I like because sometimes in other anime there is a jealousy war between love rivals which can get very annoying.
Dog Days (both seasons) is a very enjoyable series because it likes to have fun, it’s very light, very funny and every episode brings something different. However the series isn’t for everyone, it has no story and doesn’t seem to go anywhere. But if you are just looking for something to watch, Dog Days (both seasons) can be a very fun watch.
Overall, even though the second season of Dog Days is different from the first, it’s still just as good. It’s not spectacular by any means but it’s still the cute and funny series that many would enjoy.
Reviewer’s Rating: 8
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Dec 25, 2012
When people heard that the new season of Hayate no Gotoku would be an independent series instead of animating the Athena arc, many fans were disappointed (including me). This disappointment may have led to some fans having a bias against this season. However, even though this season wasn't nearly as good as the other seasons, it's also not as bad as some people may say.
The series starts off with a bunch of fillers, which the series really could have done without. The comedy in these episodes are very forced and although some of the jokes are funny, most of them fall flat on their face
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which makes these episodes weak in general and very forgettable. However as the series goes on the story starts to pick up and everything gets better from there. The story itself is pretty good because it contains numerous twists in it (predictable or not) and it also unveils a lot of things that happened in the past which made the plot very interesting and entertaining. The series also benefited from the story because it gave the viewer something to look forward to every week, and although this story was decent the series does lack the charm that the previous seasons delivered.
The art in this series is just bad. The poor artwork is most noticed with the character designs, where the character's faces and heads looked out of proportion. Also the colours they chose aren't the best either. Usually artwork isn't something I pay attention to but for this series, the art was so bad that it had a negative impact on the series.
The sound on the other hand is pretty decent. The opening really fit the more serious series this time around and it actually sounds pretty good. The ending sounds alright too and both were pretty catchy. Through-out the series there were also number of insert songs which are also pretty nice.
The characters are always a strong point for Hayate no Gotoku, even for this not so strong season. The characters are still great (even the new ones), each of them stand out individually because of their unique personality. However, this time around, the series really focuses (as in only focuses) on Nagi and Hayate and all the other characters this time around play a very small role, so some of the viewers may be disappointed that they won't get to see their favourite character have much of a role. Overall the characters manage to retain their greatness from previous seasons.
Hayate no Gotoku: Can't Take My Eyes Off You could have been done much better as the comedy just wasn't there and the art was just plain horrible. However when the plot started moving, the series never looked back and overall it was entertaining and isn't a bad way to pass the time
Reviewer’s Rating: 7
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Dec 4, 2012
A couple years ago when I started Saki, I didn't think I would enjoy a series about mahjong because I knew next to nothing about mahjong but Saki sure did change my mind. So when Saki: Achiga-hen was announced I just had to watch it, even though it focused on another set of characters. Although it was not as well done and as memorable as the original, it is still an enjoyable series and very entertaining even if you have no knowledge about the game of mahjong.
Compared to the original season, Achiga-hen is much shorter in length so the pacing of this season is extremely
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fast until the last couple of episodes which is a major weakness. The fast pacing allows the story to progress faster than the original season (as this season just blazed by the prefectures). However, the reason why the original season is so enjoyable, is because of the intense rounds of mahjong that happen. These matches were very enjoyable to watch because of the epic battles between characters where each displayed their play style and their super natural ability (if they had one). In Achiga-hen we get very little of that until they face off against Senriyama in the quarter finals. During this time, the series really starts to pick up because we get to start seeing some action. The actual story itself is nothing spectacular but it is still fun to watch these girls on their journey to the final table and the struggles they endure to get there.
The girls of Achiga aren't as overpowered, and aren't as thoroughly explored as the girls in Kiyosumi. I think Shizuno is supposed to be the main character but we only get to see her play in one hand. Out of all the main characters in Achiga-hen, Kuro is the only one that develops at all (as we see her overcome one of her hurdles in life) which makes her stand out a bit from the other main characters. However the character that stands out the most in this series is Toki, who is a side character, the reason why she stands out the most is because we get to see her past, how she became part of Senriyama's team and her relationship with Ryuuka. She also makes all the matches in this series fun to watch. Other than that no other character is explored that much, making this cast of characters not very memorable. However each character is still likable, fits well in the series and each have their own unique playing style(even though I don't know what some of character's playing styles are).
The art is different from the original. The colour tone is a bit lighter and the character designs look cuter. In my opinion, this style of art actually fits the series. However the art is still nothing spectacular and nothing really stands out. Here's a fun fact, if you watch the animation of both seasons, you will see that they are nearly identical.
The sound is also done well, each of the voice actors do a good job voicing their characters, they all match their personalities. The opening Miracle Rush really fits the series because this season is more light hearted than the original. There are two endings for this series, SquarePanicSerenade which is very similar to the ending of the original series, which is sung by the voice actors of the main characters which is used when the mood of the episode is light hearted and Futuristic Player, a more serious ending which is used when the mood of the series is more serious. Both endings fit the series but are not too memorable.
Overall, the series is still very enjoyable, unique and still has that Saki charm. It's fun to watch but not as well executed as the original season because of the horrible pacing. Also I still can't wait for the last 3 episodes.
Reviewer’s Rating: 7
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Sep 30, 2012
A big problem with visual novel adaptations these days is that most of them stick to this formula where nothing really happens, there's a lot of attempts at humor, they explore each (or most) character(s) and the protagonist picks a girl. Koi to Senkyo to Chocolate is different, although it still shares some similarities with most visual novel adaptation, it separates itself by having a pretty interesting plot, which makes the series enjoyable.
What really makes the plot interesting is the twists and turns that happen along the way. The plot may seem simple at first, the main character trying to win an election to be
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student body president so his club would not be disbanded. But as the series progressed and as they started to give us a deeper look into the election, a number of darker and more serious things start to surface. For a 13 episode series it does a real good job at making an interesting plot because it has depth to it.The series does leave some things unexplained and the series certainly has it's flaws but given the time frame, Koi to Senkyo to Chocolate executes the story really well.
The art was nothing too spectacular but it is really well drawn. The animations are very fluent and there's no major errors.
The sound was good too, the opening is very lighthearted and has a very happy mood, which fits the series very well. The ending is a very soft song, which has this farewell feel (if that makes any sense at all), very fitting for an ending. The voice acting is also done pretty well as they make the feelings of the characters believable.
For the short time frame that this anime was given, the series did a fair job with the characters. The main male protagonist Yuuki Oojima is a lot like many main male protagonists in other harems, except he isn't useless. He doesn't really get much development but instead he helps the other characters develop. He is also very likeable much like many of the other characters. The girl he ends up with, Chisato Sumiyoshi, is not very well received by others, but personally, I don't hate her. She goes through some nice development such as finally overcoming the loss of her brother which is more than expected from a series of this length. The supporting characters get little development, some get some development and others aren't even touched. However they are still all likable and you will almost always be finding yourself rooting for somebody.
As a whole Koi to Senkyo to Chocolate is one of the more enjoyable harems for a number of reasons. One of the main reasons is because it has an interesting plot. Another reason may be because of it's comedy, which is well-placed at some times but misplaced at others but when the comedy is well-placed, it can be down right hilarious.
Overall Koi to Senkyo to Chocolate is a nice change from many other visual novel adaptations these days because it can be very entertaining. This also shows that not all harem animes are that bad.
Reviewer’s Rating: 8
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Sep 17, 2012
Hyouka is a different from a lot of the anime series being released these days, it doesn't try to go over the top, it's slow paced and can be very refreshing to watch. The series definitely isn't flawless but as a whole, Hyouka is a piece of art.
The plot is pretty simple, the characters live a regular life, go to school and solve mysteries that pop up every now and again. Some of the mysteries span for several episodes but most of them are only an episode in length. Although the plot may not seem all too exciting, Hyouka does a real good job at
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executing each mystery and pacing them. Some people may feel that the series moves too slowly but I disagree. The pacing is slow at times but most of the time the pacing of the series is just right. The series also does a really good job at balancing story and character development as it is not extremely focused on one or the other. The mysteries themselves aren't very special, and some of them just come out of nowhere. However, because of the way the characters solve it and the ordeals the characters go through when solving it, they become very enjoyable to watch. Hyouka does suffer from a slow start, as some of the first mysteries in this series can get very boring and aren't too impressive. However, overall Hyouka executes most of it's mysteries very well, and although most of mysteries themselves aren't very exciting, everything else Hyouka does makes them interesting to watch.
The characters are a strong point of this series. The main male protagonist, Houtarou Oreki is a very unique character, his principle is "I don't do anything I don't have to. What I have to do, I do quickly" because he wants to conserve his energy. Also from a knowledge standpoint, he doesn't have all the answers but his deductive reasoning and analytical skills are just amazing. His trait alone makes him very appealing as it separates him from male protagonists in most other series. Houtarou also gets a fair amount of development throughout the series. As he is "forced" to solve these mysteries, he begins to get curious himself and no longer has to be pushed to solve mysteries. Because of this, Houtarou also starts to compromise his own energy conservation principle. While this is all happening, he begins to develop a crush on the main female protagonist, Eru Chitanda.
The main female protagonist, Eru Chitanda has a less unique character than Houtarou, she is very polite, energetic and a bit of an airhead even though she is a top student.She is also shown to be a very caring person. Also when she gets curious she gets all up in Houtarou's face and won't stop until he agrees to solve the mystery. Some people may find her annoying but at the same time,she is very important to Houtarou's development because of the way she pushes him. Eru herself, also develops through out the series (but not as much as the other characters), as she learns to hold some of her curiosity back. At first she holds a great admiration towards Houtarou but later this develops intro a crush.
The relationship between Houtarou and Eru is done very well. As the series progresses they get closer and develop crushes for each other. The development of their relationship is not rushed which makes it seem more natural. Although many would have liked to have seen their relationship go all the way (I was one of these people), it is far more realistic that it didn't because it would have been a bit forced and not natural at all.
The other characters, Satoshi Fukube and Mayaka Ibara are also very noticeable. They each undergo some development such as Satoshi, developing a jealousy towards Houtarou, and Mayaka who's relationship with her other club (the manga society) also changes. They are both likable in their own way, and are probably some of the best side characters I've seen.
The art is just outstanding, everything is very well drawn, the movements are smooth and it creates a wonderful atmosphere for Hyouka. The abstract artwork used as analogies to represent the situation that the characters are in is what really blows you away though. Words cannot describe how amazing the animation. Kyoto animations, you have impressed me once again.
Hyouka also presents also has a very good soundtrack, the background music always matches the scene and help give the events more of an impact. The voice actors do a really good job presenting the characters. The openings match the mood of series and are both great to listen to. The second ending also really matches the mystery theme of the anime. The first ending however, isn't something that really goes with the series and I really don't see a point of it being there. Other than that there is nothing bad to say about the sound.
Hyouka is a great series because it is different from most anime out there. Some people may be turned off by it's pace and the simplicity of the mysteries. However it has a wonderful balance between characters and story and the characters themselves are great too and because of all this, Hyouka is a very memorable series.
Reviewer’s Rating: 8
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Jul 23, 2012
I believe a good sports anime should be able to make the viewer enjoy the anime even if they have little knowledge about the sport. Bamboo Blade manages to do this by making the characters the driving force instead of heavily focusing on the sport itself.
The plot is pretty simple, which is basically a school comedy revolving around the kendo club, they practice, go to tournaments and recruit new members along the way. Although the plot is simple, it also works because of the characters. The series is light hearted and has a fairly large amount of comedic moments which are actually pretty funny. The
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pace is also just right for this kind of show. Other than there is nothing really spectacular about the plot but for this kind of show, it doesn't have to be.
Like I mentioned before, the characters are what drives this series. Each character has their own very unique personality (for example Kirino is very energetic but also very responsible and very caring too) and they are each explored very well. All the main characters also develop a lot during the series (such as a Tamaki opening up more) and by the end of the anime, each of the characters have grown in different ways. The chemistry developed between the characters is also unmatched by most. Each character is likable and most of the comedic moments work because of them. Without the amazing characters and development, this anime would just be another average anime with nothing memorable about it.
The art does have it's fair share of good and bad moments, the backgrounds are detailed and generally drawn pretty well but colors don't really scream out. Also many of the hits look the same in the kendo matches.
The sound does a very good job. The opening and ending really fits the kendo theme and the voice actors do a really nice job with each character.
Like many other series out there, not everyone is going to enjoy it. If you are looking for intensity and a complex plot then this genre as whole is probably not for you. However if you are looking for a good comedy, this more than holds up it's end of the bargain, as this series will have you laughing in a lot of places.
Bamboo Blade shows that unique and well developed characters can really push a series far. Even though the plot is very simple and isn't great, as a whole, it really delivers.
Reviewer’s Rating: 8
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Jul 18, 2012
Even though almost all harem anime are very similar (in terms of plot and characters), at least most of them have a little unique element to help separate themselves from others. This is not the case with Hoshizora e Kakaru Hashi, this anime is probably one of the most generic series out there. There is just nothing about this series that pops out.
Hoshizora e Kakaru Hashi starts out like most harems, the protagonist has just moved into a new town and then has the accidental kiss with the main heroine of the story. After getting introduced to all the characters, the protagonist gets one on
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one time with each girl and helps solve each of their problems. Finally, the main characters realize their true feelings for each other and that's pretty much the whole series. This series is pretty cliche after cliche after cliche, nothing special ever happens (a problem that many harem series suffer from). Another problem is that the feelings that the main characters have for each other seem to come out of nowhere .The reason for this is that there is very little development between the two main characters because most of the time is spent on the other girls. At least the ending offers closure instead of leaving the ending up in the air. There really isn't anything else to say, everything about this anime has been used in many other harem series already.
The characters are also very one dimensional and generic. The main hero of the series, Kazuma, is very kind and always helps others with their problems, and this turns into the quality that makes others fall for him, very much like many other protagonists in other harem series. A positive about the main character is that he is not extremely dense making him more likable. The main female in this anime, Ui, is actually the most unique character of the bunch because she has more traits than the rest of the cast, but that really isn't saying much. Her character is still very generic and not that interesting at all. Also some of her features may turn some people off.
The other characters pretty much have the same personality as the characters in many other harems, give or take some minor features. They are all likeable in their own way but again nothing stands out.
The art and sound are fairly good, everything is certainly colorful and backgrounds are pretty nice. The sound is what you could expect from other harems, an upbeat and catchy opening and ending.
Enjoyment all depends on the viewer, if you don't mind watching a harem then this would be another one to check off the list. It is still mildly enjoyable as long as you aren't looking for too much.
Hoshizora e Kakaru Hashi is the very definition of a generic harem series. Has nothing unique about it and if you have seen even one harem, there is really no point in watching this.
Thanks for reading.
Reviewer’s Rating: 6
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